Once again targeting higher ed, Texas lawmakers limited faculty influence, campus speech this session
Lawmakers also approved direct pay for student athletes and sought better pathways from college to the workforce. Full Story
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Sneha Dey
Reporter, Pathways from Education to Employment
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Sneha Dey is an education reporter for The Texas Tribune, working in partnership with Open Campus. She covers pathways from education to employment and the accessibility of postsecondary education in Texas, with an eye on college readiness, community colleges and career and technical training. Prior to joining the Tribune, she had stints at NPR’s Education Desk and Chalkbeat. Sneha is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She grew up in New York and is based in Austin.
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![Students walk the University of North Texas campus in Denton, TX on Feb. 24, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas students make gains in reading but struggle with math, STAAR scores show
The mixed-bag results showed early literacy improvements, a key indicator of future academic success, but underline the challenges of preparing children for STEM-related jobs. Full Story
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![Nimitz Middle School 7th grade teacher Pricilla Martinez leads her class in an activity Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa. STAAR testing begins across Texas on Tuesday.]()
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Texas’ undocumented college students no longer qualify for in-state tuition
Within hours of a federal lawsuit targeting Texas’ policy of letting undocumented students qualify for lower public tuition rates, the 24-year-old law was no more. Full Story
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![Students walk through campus at the University of Texas at Austin on Aug. 25, 2021.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
From vouchers to a cellphone ban, this year’s lawmaking session brought transformative changes to Texas schools
An agenda driven by conservative priorities, schools’ financial duress and teacher needs led to an $8.5 billion boost, new discipline rules, more Christianity in classrooms and a DEI ban. Full Story
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![JoMeka Gray teaches a class of kindergarteners at Kennedy-Powell Elementary in Temple on April 17, 2025.]()
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Bill to scrap STAAR test dies in the Texas Legislature
The state standardized test has long been criticized for taking instructional time away from teachers and putting unnecessary pressure on students. Full Story
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![STAAR themed decorations adorn the hallways of Wharton Elementary School in Wharton on April 21, 2018.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Texas to expand how schools discipline students
House Bill 6, which now heads to the governor, targets the increase in violence that has plagued schools since the pandemic. Full Story
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![A student walks through the halls of Lufkin High School in Lufkin on Jan. 29, 2023.]()
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Bill to give political appointees more oversight over Texas universities wins final passage
The latest version of the proposal eliminates language that would have required university curricula not to advocate that “any race, sex, ethnicity or religious belief is inherently superior to another.” Full Story
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![Texas State University campus in San Marcos, Texas.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House, Senate will seek middle ground on bill to scrap STAAR test
The chambers differ on how much power districts should have to push back in courts over their accountability ratings. They risk keeping STAAR by default if they don’t reach an agreement. Full Story
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![Math teacher Becky McLaughlin during a STAAR prep session for 7th graders at Blocker Middle School in Texas City on March 24, 2017.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Senators soften student discipline bill, giving Texas schools more flexibility
The Texas Senate had previously proposed more severe consequences in the bill. Full Story
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![Nimitz Middle School students gather in the hallway outside of a classroom as they wait for a teacher between periods Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
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Classroom violence went up in Texas after the pandemic. Is more discipline the answer?
Texas lawmakers are poised to make it easier to suspend disruptive students. But some teachers and school psychologists say discipline alone won’t meet the mental health needs at the root of their behavior. Full Story
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![Public educator Nadene Casteel at Heritage Rose Elementary School on Monday, May 19, 2025, in Ft. Bend County.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune